Fantasia 2021: It’s a Summer Film!
fantasia 2021For many, the love of film is a comforting shared experience that touches individuals deeply. There is something truly magical about the experience of sitting in a filled auditorium, having the lights dim and the motion picture projecting onto the screen. Some have found this experience so impactful that they dedicate large portions of their lives to celebrating the art and those who give their blood, sweat, and tears to the creation of it. Screening as part of the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival, Soushi Matsumoto's It's a Summer Film! does exactly this. Following a group of high schoolers as they set off to express their love of film by making a feature of their own, the movie becomes not just a tribute to both the adolescent spirit and the filmmaking soul but also a rather devastating look at the state of the art form itself.
There is no denying that, for fans of cinema, there is plenty to love and connect with within It's a Summer Film! From references to classic Japanese cinema like Kinugasa's Gate of Hell and others within the same vein to the overall message on the importance of film and the question of how far one would go in order to experience cinema, the heart and soul of the movie will resonate deeply with many. It is equally fun as it is passionate, with young filmmakers especially being able to connect with the sheer tenacity the characters show as they attempt to make their own feature in time for a school celebration. Especially because of how fun and likable the characters are, this is enough of a hook to engage the audience and allow them to care about the individual journeys featured throughout the film's rather clean 97-minute runtime.
It is important to note, however, that ultimately because of this, the film’s heart does feel a bit lighter in its drama. While there are undoubtedly twists and turns, much of the characters and plot feel predictable. Though this doesn't hurt anything the film is necessarily trying to accomplish, as it hopes to be more of a celebration than a shocking drama, it does undeniably hold the film back from ever reaching masterpiece level and ultimately defines the experience audiences will have. This is the case with one major exception: within this celebration comes a darker call to action in regards to the future of the art form.
Without spoiling some massive twists and turns that come out of nowhere, the film ultimately finds a rather depressing outlook on the future of film. With many turning against the art form outside of its most mainstream offerings and instead enjoying short and ultimately meaningless content like that offered on apps such as TikTok, It's a Summer Film! acknowledges and accepts that film is a dying art. This is tragic on multiple levels. For most audiences, this will hit them personally, as their love for film will be directly attacked by this very truth. It also presents young, passionate filmmakers who the audience gets to know and love that also have to reconcile with this. For a film that largely feels like a lighter coming-of-age celebration, this message packs a legitimate punch and leaves an impact even after the runtime ends.
The only place where it feels like the film truly disappoints is in its aesthetic. Largely, It's a Summer Film! is being marketed as and is attempting to be a distinct summer experience, but it doesn't fully capture this. For a movie that is supposed to make the audience feel the warmth and humidity of the season it takes place in, it’s surprisingly cloudy and grey – which does feel disappointing. The feature constantly feels as if it is trying to have a distinct visceral response when it comes to environment and climate but simply fails to achieve this. While it is important to recognise that this is rather minor, it does feel apparent and is the one area where it feels It's a Summer Film! truly fails at something.
With both a loving charm and surprisingly bleak emotional punch, it is hard not to find something within It's a Summer Film! to enjoy. While the overall plot might feel a bit cliched and predictable, there are some truly wild twists and turns that keep the audience on their toes, and the message connects poignantly no matter if it is leaning positive or negative in that moment. Especially for fans of cinema, this is one to definitely check out!
